Rod holder

ABSTRACT

A fishing rod holder for holding a fishing rod to an environmental supporting object, such as a watercraft. The fishing rod holder may include a body having a trough to receive the fishing rod, a collar rotatable to entrap the rod within the trough.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/530,434, filed Jul. 10, 2017, the disclosure of which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

This present invention relates generally to fishing rods, and moreparticularly, to holders, supports, steadying devices for fishing rods.Most particularly, the invention relates to supports for supportingfishing poles or rods.

Fishing using fishing poles or rods frequently requires that the fishingwith the same be held proximate to a body of water for a prolonged timeinterval. However, it is impractical for a person to hold a fishing poleor rod for extended periods of time. Moreover, poles and rods mustfrequently be held at a predetermined angle to a supporting surface oran environmental object. Even further, holders for poles and rods mustbe able to accommodate structural features of the poles or rods, such asa reel, clutch and others.

There exists a need for a fishing rod or pole holder that meets theabove needs simultaneously.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses the above stated need by providing a rodholder, which releasably receives a fishing pole or rod, and is, inturn, attachable to an environmental supporting surface or object, suchas a watercraft, and particularly suitable for use on a paddle craft,such as a kayak. A collar having a gap rotatably encircles a body of therod holder and is rotatable between a first position entrapping thefishing rod and a second position, wherein a gap is located to releasethe fishing rod from entrapment. A mount enables the rod holder to befixed to the environmental supporting object. Rotation or pivot jointsenable an elevation angle of the fishing rod to be adjusted.

Various advantages of this invention will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the following detailed description of thepreferred embodiment, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various features and attendant advantages of the rod holder will becomemore fully appreciated when considered in view of the accompanyingdrawings, in which like reference characters designate the same orsimilar parts and/or features throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a rod holder according to atleast one aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a perspective assembled view of the rod holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 but shows a retention collar rotated into aretaining position;

FIG. 4 is an environmental perspective view of the rod holder of FIG. 1,showing an initial stage of insertion of a fishing rod thereinto,wherein the fishing rod is equipped with a spinning reel;

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4 but shows the fishing rod fully insertedinto the rod holder with the retention collar containing the rod;

FIG. 6 is an environmental side view of the rod holder of FIG. 1, with afishing rod equipped with a bait catcher support supported thereby;

FIG. 7 is an environmental cross-sectional view of the rod holder ofFIG. 6, taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective partial view of the rod holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a rear partial view of the rod holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a side view of the rod holder of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is similar to FIG. 8 but is taken from an opposed side of therod holder;

FIG. 12 is an environmental view similar to FIG. 11, showing a fishingrod equipped with a fly re& received within but not secured to the rodholder;

FIG. 13 is similar to FIG. 12 but shows the fishing rod secured withinthe rod holder; and

FIG. 14 is an enlarged top plan view of a rear portion of the rod holderof FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a rod holder 100 for holding afishing rod 102 (shown in FIG. 4). The rod holder 100 comprises a body104 and a rotating and indexing ring or collar 106. A mount 108 (shownin FIG. 2) may be provided to affix the rod holder 100 in relation to anenvironmental supporting surface or object (not shown). The body 104receives the fishing rod 102 within a trough 156 in the body 104, alonga principal or longitudinal axis 110. The collar 106 expands elasticallyto coaxially surround and engage a portion 112 of the body 104, oralternatively is received in the trough 156 to surround the trough 156.The illustrated trough 156 is longitudinally oriented along thelongitudinal axis 110 of the body 104. Note that the collar-engagingportion 112 of the body 104 provides a recess partially encircling thelongitudinal axis 110 of the body 104. The recess is configured toreceive the collar 106 in close yet rotationally slidable cooperationtherewith.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the collar 106 is rotatable around thebody 104, such that, in one angular position, an opening 114 of thecollar 106 is aligned with a corresponding opening 116 of the body 104.In this position (shown in FIG. 2), the fishing rod 102 may be insertedlaterally or transversely into the trough 156. As seen in FIG. 3,rotation of the collar 106 closes a gap that exists when openings 114and 116 are aligned or coincident. Closing this gap entraps andsurrounds the fishing rod 102. Alternatively stated, the collar 106surrounds the trough 156. The collar 106 comprises a collar opening 114,leaving a gap enabling the fishing rod 102 to be inserted laterally ortransversely therethrough into the trough 156.

The collar 106 engages the collar-engaging portion 112 of the body 104by a detent arrangement, wherein lands 118 of the collar 106 enter andoccupy corresponding grooves 120 of the body 104 to provide variousselectable positions. An inner surface of the illustrated collar 106preferably has three grooves 120, circumferentially spaced about 90degrees apart from one another, with two such grooves 120circumferentially spaced about 90 degrees from a radial center of thecollar opening 114 and one groove 120 circumferentially spaced about 180degrees from a circumferential center of the collar opening 114. Twolands 118 are provided in the body 104, one on each opposing side of thebody 104. This arrangement of lands 118 and grooves 120 allows thecollar 106 to be selectively positioned with the collar opening 114facing upwards, downwards or to the left or right sides of the body 104.

The collar 106 is preferably dimensioned of an elastic or slightlyelastic material, which enables hand or finger pressure to overcome theinteraction of the lands 118 and grooves 120 so that the collar 106 maybe rotated around the body 104. Engagement of the collar 106 and thebody 104 opposes spontaneous mutual rotation of the collar 106 and thebody 104, although rotation by hand or finger pressure is nonethelesspossible.

The collar 106 entraps the fishing rod 102 after the latter has beeninserted through an opening 122 and the collar 106 is rotated to closethe gap that exists when openings 114 and 116 are aligned. With arelatively greater length of the fishing rod 102 projecting from an end124 of the body 104, gravity and interference will hold the fishing rod102 in place in the rod holder 100.

With its lateral symmetry and infinite rotation, the collar 106accommodates left and right-handed users.

As stated above, the body 104 may be secured to an environmentalsupporting surface or object (not shown), for example, by the mount 108.The mount 108 may comprise a socket 126 to engage the environmentalsupporting object (e.g., a boat hull, not shown), an upper rotationguide 128, a lower rotatable joint 130 and an arm 132 rigidly connectingthe upper rotation guide 128 to the lower rotatable joint 130. The lowerrotatable joint 130 is fixed in relation to the socket 126. The socket126 may be engageable with a complementing portion of an anchorage to anenvironmental supporting surface. As employed herein, the termcomplementing signifies that the complementing portion has structureconfigured to cooperate with and fulfilling the function of that itemthat it complements.

It should be understood that the lower rotatable joint 130 comprises afirst rotatable joint member that is supported in relation to a lowerend of the arm 132 and a second rotatable joint member that is supportedin relation to the socket 126. The first and second rotatable jointmembers are operable to rotate in relation to one another.

The arm 132 spans from the lower rotatable joint 130 to the upperrotational guide 128, which cooperates with a body guide. As best seenin FIG. 1, the upper rotational guide 128 cooperates with the body guide134 to collectively form an upper rotatable joint 136. The upperrotatable joint 136 also includes a screw 138 and a cap 140 having wings142 to facilitate operation by finger pressure. Rotation of the body 104relative to the mount 108 is about an axis 144. Rotation of the body 104about the axis 144 enables elevation angle adjustment of the body 104and of the fishing rod 102. A similar adjustment may be made using thelower rotatable joint 130 and its associated axis 146. The lowerrotatable joint 130 may use fasteners similar to the screw 138 and thecap 140. Moreover, the upper and lower rotatable joints 136 and 130 mayhave internal interfitting teeth (shown but not referenced) to preventrotation should their respective caps (e.g., cap 140) loosen. Rotationaladjustment may be accomplished by loosening or unthreading the screw(e.g., screw 138) until the interfitting teeth disengage. Theinterfitting teeth prevent loss of positional adjustment due to minorloosening of the cap 140 and screw 138.

In general terms, the cap 142 and its associated components provide thefirst joint (e.g., the upper rotatable joint 136) with a lockingmechanism operable to lock the first joint in a selected angularposition.

The body guide 134 provides a first portion of a first rotatable joint(e.g., the upper rotatable joint 136). The first rotatable joint has theaxis 144 of rotation, the latter not intersecting the longitudinal axis110 of the body 104. The axis 144 of rotation of the first rotatablejoint may be perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 110 of the body 104.The upper rotation guide 128 and its associated components provide asecond complementing portion of the first rotatable joint. The socket126 exemplifies the connector fixed to the second complementing portionof the first rotatable joint. The connector is configured to engage theanchorage, the latter fixed to an environmental surface supporting therod holder 100.

The socket 126 may engage a base (not shown) attachable to a surface ofthe environmental supporting surface or object in a manner furtherdetailed in Applicant's co-pending application, U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/030,812, entitled “Accessory Mount for EnvironmentalSurface”, filed on Jul. 9, 2018, which claims priority to U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/530,291 filed on Jul. 9, 2017, andU.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 65/585,222 filed on Nov. 13,2017, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference intheir entirety.

Turning now to FIG. 4, the rod holder 109 comprises a slot 148 in alower forward portion of the body 104, opposite the opening 116 of thebody 104, that is open for insertion of a reel foot 150 of a spinningreel. To insert the fishing rod 102 into the trough 156, the collar 106is rotated so that the collar opening 114 faces downward, coincidentwith the slot 148. This permits the fishing rod 102 to be insertedlinearly into the trough 156, in a lengthwise direction from front toback, or along longitudinal axis 110 of the body 104, until theconnecting arm 152 of the reel foot 150 engages a terminal end of theslot 148. After a connecting arm 152 of the reel foot 150 has beeninserted into the slot 148, the collar 106 is rotated to cover the slot148 (as show in FIG. 5). The collar 106 may be rotated so that thecollar opening 114 is no longer coincident with the slot 148, trappingthe foot and thus, the fishing rod 102 in the rod holder 102. The collarneed only be rotated 90 degrees for a land 118 to engage a groove 120 tohold the collar 106 in position. The slot 148 enables the connecting arm152 to protrude through the body 104. The slot 148 is sufficiently smallso as to nearly immobilize the reel foot 150 and constrain the latteragainst rotation about the axis 110.

FIGS. 6-9 show a recess for accommodating a baitcaster or clutchstructure of the fishing rod 102. This can be accomplished by rotatingthe collar 106 so that the collar opening 114 is facing upward,coincident with the opening 116 in the body 104. In this position, thefishing rod 102 may be inserted transversely into the trough 156. Withthe fishing rod 102 in the trough 156, the collar 106 may be rotateduntil the collar opening 114 is no longer coincident with the opening116 in the body 104. This retains the fishing rod 102 in the rod holder102. It should be noted that the collar need only be rotated 90 degreesfor a land 118 to engage a groove 120 to hold the collar 106 inposition. Baitcaster fishing rods have a hook keeper (shown but notreferenced in FIG. 7), which extends downwardly from the fishing rod102. To accommodate the hook keeper, the rod holder 100 has a relief(shown but not referenced in FIGS. 7-9) in a lower rear end of the body104.

FIGS. 10-13 provide further views of the rod holder 100 and the fishingrod 102 held by the rod holder 100. In FIGS. 12 and 13, in particular,the fishing rod 102 is equipped with a fly fishing reel. To insert thefishing rod 102 into the trough 156, the collar 106 is rotated so thatthe collar opening 114 faces upward, coincident with the opening 116 inthe body 104. This permits the fishing rod 102 to be insertedtransversely into the trough 156. With the fishing rod 102 inserted intothe trough 156, the collar 106 may be rotated so the that collar opening114 is no longer coincident with the slot 148, trapping the fishing rod102 in the rod holder 102. The collar need only be rotated 90 degreesfor a land 118 to engage a groove 120 to hold the collar 106 inposition.

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, a shoulder or recess 154 projects into thetrough 156 or body 104, respectively, to form a relief in the side ofthe body 104 that is configured to engage and support the foot of thefly reel received within the trough 156. The wall of the body 104 aboutthe recess 154 is also a thin wall because the fly reels are typicallyclosely situated in relation to the spool of the reel.

Another feature stabilizing the fishing rod 102 within the trough 156 isshown throughout the drawings. Notably, the body 104 may include aproximal end 111 and an opposed distal end 113. The collar 106 may belocated proximate the distal end 113 of the body 104. The proximal end111 may include a control bar 115 encircling the trough 156 so that thefishing rod 102 received within the trough 156 is constrained againstbeing removed laterally or transversely from the trough 156. As clearlyshown in FIG. 14, the control bar 115 has a partial circular relief 160in a forward portion thereof, and a general curved shape of the lowerrear portion of the body 104 cooperates with the relief 160 to provide asubstantially circular passage for the end of a fishing rodtherethrough.

It should be appreciated that the invention described herein is anexemplary embodiment, and that the spirit and scope of the invention maybe practiced in other forms. For example, the collar 106 could bearranged to occupy an interior of the body 104. The body 104 could beprovided with a groove or recess to be occupied by the collar. Moreover,the trough 156 may comprise at least one relief 117 (as shown in FIG. 6)projecting into a side wall 119 of the trough 156. The relief 117 may besized and configured to accommodate a laterally or transverselyprojecting element of a fishing reel or rod.

Although the invention has been described in terms of certain componentsbeing referred to in either the singular or the plural, otherarrangements are possible. For example, it is to be understood that dueto the conceptual description presented herein, components presented inthe singular may be provided in the plural.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the principleand mode of operation of this invention have been explained andillustrated in its preferred embodiment. However, it must be understoodthat this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specificallyexplained and illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fishing rod holder comprising: a body having alongitudinal axis and defining a trough therein along the longitudinalaxis, the trough having a first trough opening in a lower forwardportion of the body and a second trough opening in an upper forwardportion of the body, opposite the first trough opening; and a collarrotationally supported in relation to the trough, the collar comprisinga collar opening, the collar being rotatable to a first position whereinthe collar opening faces downward, coincident with the first troughopening for inserting a portion of a fishing reel in the first troughopening, the collar being rotatable to a position other than the firstposition, including a second position, wherein the collar opening doesnot coincide with the first trough opening for constraining the portionof the fishing reel in the first trough opening, and wherein at least aportion of the first trough opening extends longitudinally beyond thecollar so as to remain exposed for the portion of the fishing reel toextend therethrough, and the collar being rotatable to the secondposition wherein the collar opening faces upward, coincident with thesecond trough opening to permit a portion of a fishing rod to beinserted therein and in a position other than the second positionwherein the collar opening does not coincide with the second troughopening so the portion of the fishing rod is trapped therein.
 2. The rodholder of claim 1, wherein the collar is infinitely rotatable.
 3. Therod holder of claim 1, wherein the collar is an indexing collar.
 4. Therod holder of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a collar-engagingportion defined by a recess that partially encircles the body, therecess being configured to receive the collar in close yet rotationallyslidable cooperation therewith.
 5. The rod holder of claim 4, whereinthe collar engages the collar-engaging portion by a detent arrangementcomprising one or more lands on one of the collar or the collar-engagingportion and one or more grooves on the other one of the collar-engagingportion or the collar, the one or more lands being engageable with theone or more grooves to provide one or more selectable positions for thecollar in relation to the body.
 6. The rod holder of claim 5, whereinthe detent arrangement is configured to allow the collar to beselectively positioned with the collar opening facing upwards, downwardsor at a point therebetween.
 7. The rod holder of claim 5, wherein thecollar is configured of an elastic or slightly elastic material, whichenables hand or finger pressure to overcome interaction of the one ormore lands and the one or more grooves.
 8. The rod holder of claim 1,wherein the holder is laterally symmetrical to accommodate left andright-handed users.
 9. The rod holder of claim 1, further comprising arecess in a lower rear portion of the body for accommodating a portionof a fishing rod for limiting movement of the fishing rod in alongitudinal direction.
 10. The rod holder of claim 9, wherein therecess is generally a V-shaped recess.
 11. The rod holder of claim 1,further comprising a relief in a side of the body that is configured toengage and support a portion of a fishing reel with the portion of thefishing reel passing therethrough.
 12. The rod holder of claim 1,wherein the body includes a proximal end and an opposed distal end, thecollar being located proximate the distal end, the proximal endincluding a control bar that at least partially encircles the trough sothat a portion of a fishing rod received within the trough isconstrained against movement in a first direction transverse to thecontrol bar.
 13. The rod holder of claim 12, wherein the control bar hasa relief in a forward portion thereof, and wherein a lower rear portionof the body has a shape that cooperates with a shape of the relief forat least a portion of the fishing rod to move in a second directionopposite the first direction.
 14. The rod holder of claim 1, wherein thetrough comprises a shoulder formed by a relief in a side wall of thebody, the relief being in communication with the trough, the shoulderbeing configured to provide clearance for and support of a portion of afishing reel.
 15. The rod holder of claim 1, wherein the troughcomprises at least one relief projecting into a side wall of the trough,the relief configured to accommodate a transversely projecting elementof a fishing real.
 16. The rod holder of claim 1, further comprising amount configured to secure the body to a supporting surface.
 17. The rodholder of claim 16, wherein the mount is an articulating mount.
 18. Therod holder of claim 16, wherein the mount comprises a plurality ofarticulating joints.
 19. The rod holder of claim 18, wherein each of thejoints includes a locking mechanism operable to lock the joints inselected angular positions.